Business and Management Studies

BUS 110: Fundamentals of Business

This introductory course focuses on managerial decision making and problem solving. Students gain a foundation on which to build deeper understanding across the different business disciplines, including accounting and finance, marketing, and entrepreneurship. This course includes case studies and practical assignments to understand the key management skills, tools, and frameworks involved in starting, running, growing and adapting a successful business in the context of a rapidly changing technological, competitive, and consumer environment. Offered each semester.

BUS 201: Organizational Storytelling

In an age of information overload, stories can rise above the noise. Effective organizational storytelling helps to engage an intended community on a meaningful and emotional level. Students will explore the craft of storytelling and study a variety of media (analogue and digital) on which the story can be delivered. The course will include case study analysis, group work and client-based projects. Offered annually. Also counts toward media studies concentration.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

BUS 225: Principles of Accounting

This course focuses on four basic financial statements: the income statement, statement of retained earnings, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows. Students learn how business events are recorded and represented on the financial statements and how to use the information to make sound economic judgments. Cases and current articles supplement traditional textbook readings and problems. This is a core course in the management studies concentration. Offered each semester.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

BUS 231: Personal Finance

This practical course provides information needed for informed decision making in major areas of personal finance, including budgeting, basic tax planning, insurance, investments, major purchases and retirement planning. Offered during January Term. Does not count toward the finance or management area of emphasis within economics major, or the management studies concentration.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

BUS 237: Managerial Accounting

This course emphasizes the use of financial and operating information to make internal management decisions. Topics include cost measurement and allocation, budgeting and control, performance evaluation, relevant costs for decision-making and capital budgeting decisions. Students are introduced to the modern production environment. Excel spreadsheets are used for many homework assignments. Offered each semester.
Prerequisite: BUS 225.

BUS 250: Marketing

This course introduces the key elements of marketing principles. Topics include evaluating market opportunities; buyer behavior; market segmentation, targeting, and positioning; market strategy and planning; development of marketing mix; and marketing organization and control. Students are challenged to apply the principles learned in class to current and real world marketing issues. The course includes readings, case study analysis, in-class exercises and group projects. Offered each semester.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above, or permission of instructor.

BUS 251: Management

This course familiarizes the student with the major management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The study of management theory is linked with application exercises. Students begin to develop the management skills necessary in any organization, whether it be a for-profit or not-for-profit venture, a small business, or a large corporation.This course is required for all students pursuing a management studies concentration. Offered each semester.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above, or permission of instructor.

BUS 252: Legal Aspects of Business

This course investigates the legal framework in which business enterprise is conducted, including personal rights and duties, contracts, sales, agency, negotiable personal rights and duties, negotiable instruments, bailments, personal property and corporate obligations, and equities. Offered annually in the spring semester.
Prerequisite: one of ECON 110-121 and sophomore standing or above, or permission of instructor.

BUS 260: Innovation in New Zealand (study abroad)

New Zealand is recognized as one of the world's most entrepreneurial countries. This course explores the unique innovation eco-systems that have developed to support entrepreneurship and economic development in New Zealand. Students will have site visits to both incubators and start-up organizations to meet with entrepreneurs while traveling from Auckland to Dunedin. Assignments will focus on idea generation and implementation. Offered alternate years during January Term. Apply through Smith Center for Global Engagement.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

BUS 266: Business Modeling in Excel

Students develop the skills to translate business concepts into practical financial models using Microsoft Excel. They gain a strong foundation in fundamental Excel functions, formulas, and techniques, and learn how to apply them to real-world business scenarios. The course provides aptitudes that are important for upper-level business courses, as well as internships. Offered annually.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above, or permission of instructor.

BUS 268: Design Thinking & Entrepreneurship

Students develop a business or not-for-profit venture concept using the Design Thinking Process. Students acquire an understanding of the entrepreneurial process: opportunity recognition, resource marshaling, and team building, driven by communication, creativity, and leadership. The course concentrates on the entrepreneurial process from idea creation to ultimate business or other organizational activity. A variety of instructional techniques are used, including group projects and guest presenters. Offered annually.
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

BUS 281: Corporate Finance

This course is an introduction to financial decision-making in a business environment. Topics include asset acquisition, issuance of stock vs. debt, dividend policy, planning and analysis, and working capital policy. Case discussions, combined with lectures and readings, enable students to apply finance principles in actual business situations. Computer spreadsheets are used. Offered annually.
Prerequisite: BUS 225.

BUS 294: Academic Internship

BUS 295: Internship and Reflection Seminar

This seminar integrates the liberal arts with the experience of work and the search for a vocation or career. Course content will include both an off-campus internship and on- campus class sessions that connect academic theories/analyses of work with their particular internship experience. Students will also consider and articulate the value of the liberal arts for their pursuit of a creative, productive, and satisfying professional life.

BUS 298: Independent Study

BUS 380: Investments

This introduction to making personal investment decisions provides a foundation for students seeking a career in the investment field. Although stocks are the primary focus, bonds, options, futures and mutual funds are also introduced. Topics include risk and return, security analysis, valuation theory, stock investment systems, and portfolio management. Students analyze historical data using a computer database and spreadsheet. Offered annually.
Prerequisites: BUS 281 and a statistics course, or permission of instructor.

BUS 383: Management Policy and Strategy

This is a capstone course for students with a management studies concentration or management area of emphasis in the economics major. Students have the opportunity to further develop their planning and decision-making skills through focused study of the management literature and case analysis exercises. Emphasis is given to identifying, analyzing, and solving organizational problems, which are strategic in nature and cut across all functional areas of the organization. Offered annually in the spring semester.
Prerequisite: BUS 250 or BUS 251 or permission of the instructor.

BUS 394: Academic Internship

BUS 396: Directed Undergraduate Research

This course provides a comprehensive research opportunity, including an introduction to relevant background material, technical instruction, identification of a meaningful project, and data collection. The topic is determined by the faculty member in charge of the course and may relate to his/her research interests. Offered based on department decision. May be offered as a 1.00 credit course or .50 credit course.
Prerequisite: determined by individual instructor.

BUS 398: Independent Research